Cuenca

If you’re looking for the best places to retire cheap, that means you are going to be hopping from country to country.

As you know Cuenca, Ecuador is my number one place in 2018 to retire cheap.

If you’re looking for options though, Peru is somewhere to explore.

How are you going to get there?

You can either fly, which I personally find crazy expensive or take the bus like a native.

Here’s a step by step guide to taking the bus. And if you want to watch a video version of this you can check it out on my YouTube link here.

1. You’re going to need to get a taxi to Terminal Terrestre. If you’ve been living in Centro then this cab ride should cost under $3 USD.

2.Be careful when you get there, Terminal Terrestre is terribly unsafe. This is the only place where I’ve had one of my bags stolen. While they have guards there, homeless people hover like vultures waiting for you to not see them.

I got my bag stolen when a homeless person came up asking for change, I said no and then looked away. When I looked away. they grabbed my backpack off the ground and ran.

Lesson learned. Keep eye contact until you see them leave.

3. Go to the Azuay office and buy a ticket. They don’t take credit cards. Why? I don’t know.

4. The Azuay buses are super comfy, and I highly recommend them.

5.Terminal Terrestre itself is awful. There’s no wifi, you have to pay for bathrooms (which are gross) and even pay to use the terminal (10 cents to leave).

6.After getting on the Azuay buy to Mancora it’s a several hour bus ride

7. Then you’re going to stop at immigration. The immigration is cool. The exit and entrance are in the same building.

8.After standing in line to get your exit from Ecuador stamp you get back into line to get your entry to Peru stamp.

9.There is no cost to get a Peru visa, and you can get one for 6 months as a Canadian.

10.Then it’s back onto your bus. Be careful. Your bus is not where you were dropped off.

11.Because so many buses come through, you’re going to have to walk for a few blocks to the designated bus area. If you get lost just ask a security guard for AZUAY!

12. After landing in Mancora, the buses will dump you off roadside. There will be a swarm of Tuk Tuk drivers fighting for your business.

13. You should have Sols by this point, because USD is no longer used once you cross the border.

14. A Tuk Tuk to Loki (where I stayed) should be under 3 Sols. The guys will all quote 5 Sols. Don’t just take their quote.

I hope this blog helps you on your next border crossing to Peru, and don’t forget if you like what I write to share this blog!